


Wreck an’ Rule

by Omicron_The_IceQueen



Series: Wreck an' Rule [1]
Category: Transformers (Bay Movies), Transformers - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-29
Updated: 2017-10-12
Packaged: 2018-02-10 21:55:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 20,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2041617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Omicron_The_IceQueen/pseuds/Omicron_The_IceQueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Its not an easy thing surviving or being hunted by mostly unknown enemies. More so when you're a Wrecker.Those first sudden attacks left the mechs scattered along with the remains of Nest, most human allies killed it seems, their Prime missing, someone steps up- even if he's staggering and leaking internally. No Wrecker can stand running for long before turning to fight back. Unlike Autobots, Wreckers fight dirty...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part 1: Betrayal

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve been working on this since a few days after seeing the TF4 movie, it took a while because I’ve been sick, and still am (bronchitis is horrible, and what fun I’m going to have it for a long bunch of weeks it was/is so bad x.x), but I just couldn’t shake the thought of what happened to the Wreckers. Beyond a glimpse-clip of Leadfoot in the movie, though it implies they died... 
> 
> I just can’t see that.
> 
> So, here’s me, as someone who loves the movie Wreckers (and Roadbuster!!) so much that I came up with this. I’m trying really hard to keep this as alined as possible with the movies, and not slide into my Level Workers saga style of things. However for the story... there are a few things I just have to break, as in some characters that where killed off in the first three movies I deeply believe shouldn’t have been, or that the ‘death’ made no sense, then you’ll see or hear about them.
> 
> I really love the size differences between humans and mechs, and how they can interact so well. So I’m going to be playing with that. There’s a few ‘odd’ moments, such as a scene I did for my friend Kitra XD
> 
> Thank you to those who read, reread and reread and reread while I wrote this [Storm, Blue, Kitra, Ultra Rodimus].

The sun had almost completely dipped under the horizon, painting not only the land in purples and reds but the rare thunderhead above as well, with a few streaks of vivid orange reflecting on the curves of the cloud formation. The storm looked like it had already let it's contained water free to the northeast, and it would take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours for the water to reached this road. Or if it didn't then the flash floods might make it this far instead in the nearby wash.

When the rain finally fell, it can in warm sheets that washed over crusted sand, rocks, loose quartz crystals, the pavement and finally descend on the old gas station. The overhang for the nearly dry pumps was mostly intact, the building standing, though the garage was hollow looking, the former shop was something out of a horror or zombie movie. The old fridge inside still had a few bottles of beer and cola, stale chips from thirty years ago, even a pack of smokes on the counter that used to serve coffee, shakes, eggs and bacon like things to truckers and travelers. The kitchen in back had pots hanging from one wall, a pan on the stove had started to grow a micro forest of molds, only to dry up in the desert air from one of the open back doors.

As the night closed in on the land and those few people in it now, steam rose up off both of the road, as well as the sun-heated metal from a few beater trucks and cars sat to one side in a bone yard. The air was filled with the thick, rich scent of hot, wet pavement. There was also slightly sharper smell of heated and wet rock, but it wasn't nearly as strong near or on the old highway.

It was an acrid smell that was somehow wonderful, a scent that Robert Epps knew most of his life. He had learned that the mechs he worked with over the last few years had fallen in love with it. It was something just a little familiar that they found on this world. With the mechs the man knew better, the Wreckers, loved it even more. Normally driving them out to go racing each other with curses and laughing in a truly alien language.

But right now, no one was enjoying it, or noticing the rain more than it being like a kick to the ribs when they were already down on the ground.

The six standing men were shouting, trying to coordinate around the mech that would normally tower over them. It would be an understatement to say the humans were over-armed, both with manmade weapons and the eerie silver-black-shine of alien metal that the men had in place of body armor. As well as scaled down versions of what the some Cybertronians had for hand held weapons. A couple of these men, unknown to their own government, even most of the- now seemingly former- Nest agency were techno-organic with faster reflexes and stronger bodies.

The green and silver mech gave what could only be called a roar, struggling to rise as one of the humans half climbed up on his right side, trying to get to the open wound above him. The man was reaching in fearlessly through the energon as it bled out, to get to the currently exposed inner workings. Shouts between the men wove between the alien words and yowls of pain. The Wrecker was trying to push the two humans off him, dropping to his knees as he was off balance as one of his armor panels dropped. It hit the old road, adding another crack to the ground.

"Come on! _Hold him down_ \- pull the muscle cables to get him down!" The dark skinned man, Epps, yelled as he was jumping to put his full weight onto one of mech's wrists, reaching into the joint itself to tug on one of the black muscle like cables inside. He could feel a charge but the clawed hand spazzimed, letting go of Jorge before the mech could pull the other man off him, "'Buster! _Stop!"_

"Mech- come on we're trying to close this shit!" Another man yelled as the Nest agent fumbled with a welder in one hand, and a strip of metal to try and seal the hole from a 'small' sabolt-round, where energon was oozing out. The answering keen from the Wrecker tore at the ears and chests of the humans, having never heard Roadbuster in this much pain, so much that the mech wasn't even cursing as he tore at his armor as well as the green and white kibble.

"What are you doing- _Roadbuster!"_ Epps yelled as he was lifted off the ground, jarring as the mech dropping back to his knees. Epps could feel his armor and cloths getting soaked, and not just from the rain as the mech was above him. The sharp-warble-buzz of Cybertronian words reverbed from the mech as he pulled his hands free, claws extended and digging at his chest. " _Stop!_ " he yelled again, unable to understand the Wrecker dialect being used- _why_ did the transformers have to have as many dialects and languages as humans?!

The mech gave a sound between a fax machine being strangled, and a groan like tone, trying to shrug off the humans as he tore at his chest plates this time. It was a deliberate action, and the men couldn't fathom the reason behind it. Unable to understand what the mech was trying to do, it looked more like self-mutation from their point of view as more green and white chucks and panels were dropped. He needed out of them, even pulling off one of his nine visible guns on his sides

Green optics- no longer hiding under the now cracked (though normally color changing) visor, looked up at last, spotting the garage door that two of the six soldiers were struggling to open. A seventh form was laying near limp on the ground nearby. He warbled, calling to them as Roadbuster felt his systems still flooding internally. He needed _out_ of his armor, dropping down to be on his hands and knees the mech gargle and made a near full body motion as certain systems spazzemed. Fluid was starting to drain from his middle and lower chest now, different in the light of the human flashlights from the rain water pooling now. Some part of the Wrecker noted with a string of pride the humans under, and on him weren't panicking as some back at the base would have by getting the stuff, along with energon and other fluids on them like Epps and another were. The man glanced down to see what the stuff was, the erratic lights showing the fluid being a bronze color, with streaks if silver flecked in.

"What the hell is this Epps?" One man asked, Jorge, whipping the sticky stuff off of the rapidly becoming bare gray-black frame of the mech.

"Something that shouldn't be leaking out." The techno-organic said, turning and then pointed, "Come on, everyone! We need to get 'Buster under cover- can you do that mech?" He moved to grab the bare left arm, a split second before the integrated saw-of-unholy-hell, started to disconnect.

Roadbuster hissed, reaching with his right arm to finish pulling the weapon off, and then the other saw blade and rig off that arm. Much to the worry and then panic if the Nest agents at his actions. With a growl and shiver, half lunging forward at the encouragement to get to the gas station, the mech had disconnected one of the two launchers that rested over his shoulders, it tilted and hung at an odd angle before it dropped. More than one of the six men cursed after the new heavy hunk of metal cracked and added new scars to the road.

Roadbuster was never seen without his launchers, locking them down if needed, but even when first walking down the Xanthium's ramp he had been decked out like a living armory as Topspin had been. Something was very wrong, as the mech crawled forward, shedding parts- or nearly ripping them off, even the heat exhaust tubes on either side of his 'rib cage' were taken off. The mech had to stop, gripping one of the old gas pumps hard enough that his claws warped it before piercing the metal, it bent farther as he shifted weight onto it, his right hand scrabbling at his chest again. Then with sounds no-one had heard from an Autobot or Wrecker before, Roadbuster started doing what they could only describe as heaving as he started purging out his primary, and ruptured tank.

Epps scrambled out of the way as the Wrecker lifted on his knees only to drop his shoulders, trying to get that same bronze colored fluid out as fast as possible, using gravity to help. He caught the glitters mixed in with the thicker fluids, making a note of it for later as Epps gritted his teeth and moved around to the mech's head, "Jack, other side, grab the helm," he half yelled, half ordered.

"Gross Epps that's-"

"Robotic puke, yeah, yeah. Suck it up and grab the jaw line!" The dark skinned man said, shoving his gun farther up on his back, getting a better grip on the rain-water slicked, green-black metal. "Remember what Ratchet said, we got to force his intakes to output." Epps said as he felt around with his right hand in the junction where jaw met helm and the neck cables.

On the other side of Roadbuster's helm, Jack grunted as he felt one of the large hands start to wrap around his right leg and up the side. "Don't you dare big mech, we're trying to _help_ so-" He grunted again as he used the metal digits to brace against, then found the same spot under the flex metal as was on Epps' side. It was a like a pressure point on a human, only when this pushed up, and then back, had a reaction of making the muscle cables half freeze, and all the inner 'valves' all switching to output. As long as Jack and Epps could hold on, the mech could finish the purge.

"You so owe us for this shit…" Epps gritted his teeth as the Wrecker couldn't help moving in the next set of heaving motions, forcing the humans in an odd shuffle-dance to stay in place. "Mongo!" The man yelled over his shoulder.

"Almost got it!" The man on Roadbuster's own right side yelled back, it wasn't easy staying balanced like normal, as the mech no longer had as many hand and foot holds. With Jorge's help just below though, the oozing flow of energon was stopped. "Ratchet's so not going to like this..."

"He wouldn't like losing 'Buster either, he can bitch about the duck tape later." Jorge said, taping over the newly welded section as extra protection from seeping, looping the roll a few times before almost doing a pull up to reach a smaller leak and tape that as well.

A low sound came from above and around them, half that whale like groan and half vibration. It warped and altered into rising and falling pattern. More than Mongo felt the first hopeful thread as they realized that the strange sound was an attempt at a chuckle as the mech coughed the last of the mixture that was in his tank up. It would coat a good section of the pavement under the overhang, and maybe at some other time they would be concerned for the little bit of echo system around. However, they weren't all that much right now, not with their metallic ally and friend seeming like he was dying.

At the moment, Roadbuster was keening again, if a bit of a lower level as he was forced to look up at where the last two, three, men were.

"Can you make it?" Epps asked as he glanced up, seeing where Marc and Eddie were carrying the seventh, and still limp human between them. Ducking under the mostly open garage door, as they shuffled to the inside door that linked to the gas station itself. No one knew about the open back door yet.

"...fraging..." The mech muttered, tilted his head one way and the other, freeing his head from the two humans. Epps and Jack let go of the trigger points and moved aside, still trying to grab and try supporting the mech in some small way as he slowly pushed himself up to hands and knees. Mongo scrambled, feeling Jorge boosted him up so the tattooed man could get a good hold and pull himself the rest of the way, to cling to Roadbuster's back.

"Jorge, toss that stuff up!" Mongo yelled, bracing his feet and looping one arm on an external support and leaning over to extend his right arm down to catch the silver roll that was thrown up. He half rolled himself into the middle of Roadbuster's back, flopping down as he pulled a strip of the duck tape out, biting it free. He had just enough time hang onto the roll with his teeth as he started wrapping another, much smaller spot that had energon and a clear-green mix weeping out the torn looking line near the spine-like support. He wrapped another strip over that before looking up and started moving back and to one side, climbing down to the hip joint and then thigh of the mech.

The Wrecker had to pause, shifting to reach out and lift the sliding garage door up the rest of the way. He was the only one not to flinch at the screech of metal and un-greased workings, instinctually unbothered as the humans were. Green optics scanned around, able to see better in the dark then the men, even with the flash lights sweeping around the abandoned place. Noting tools that, had they not been metal, might have started rotting away a decade ago. There was an eerie feeling of everything having been just... dropped and left behind, strong enough that the mech felt it as he paused with head and shoulders just starting to enter the garage.

"It's okay, come on big mech," Jack coaxed, one hand on the mech's black-grey forearm.

Roadbuster gave a longsuffering vent as he shifted, half dropping onto his elbows, sliding in more as the humans moved things around to open the space up more. Jorge was the last to enter, scanning around as he checked the sky more than the landscape, very aware of the metallic feet on either side of him. He turned in time to see the Wrecker's back scraping the garage door, grunt and lower himself more.

Then it made sense.

Roadbuster wasn't transforming back into car form, and from that mad and admittedly rocky ride out here, he likely _couldn't_. With all the exo-armor and alternate mode kibble, the mech wouldn't have been able to fit into their only cover for miles around. Jorge glanced back at the pumping stashing of the building, noting that semi trail of alien metal and 'car' parts. He turned and scanned for something useful in the debris to cover the bigger chucks like the launchers and saw-rigs.

The mech grunted as he did a controlled collapse, rolling onto his left side. Green optics flicking to watch as the big man, Eddie started shouldering the door connecting the work garage to the shop itself. The other dark skinned man slammed his weight against the door again before looking up at a mechanical growl.

"Shit!" Eddie almost tossed himself to the side, instead of at the door as the clawed hand descended and drove into the door, ripping it off the hinges and moving to the other side. "...That's one way to do it." The second techno-organic said looking up from the reflex to cove the limp man on the ground that Marc was supporting now.

"Worked..." the mech rasped as he shook that hand a few times, and then resorted to flexing his digits to get rid of the thick wood and glass. He looked back as Eddie moved to help lift the wounded man up again, reaching back over. The large hand lowering, curling to get the rounded edges of his claws to brush against the semi conscious man, "Tanner?"

"Hey boss man..." the man wheezed as he wrapped an arm around a few of the metal digits. "Don't die..."

Roadbuster rumbled back, "That's an order to you Tanner." The mech gave a growl to emphasize, he saw too many of the humans fall, both the Autobot allied and potential Wrecker-humans. If these seven were the last, then by Primus he didn't want to lose any more _Crew_.

Tanner stayed as limp as he could to make it easier to be carried, and watch the green glowing optics as long as he could before Marc lifted him up higher. Eddie let go to push two tables aside, tossing the chairs aside for now, then helped lift the injured man up to start getting body armor and fabric off him to see the full extent of the damaged now that they weren't cramped in a impala or hanging onto the outside like a barnacle without the glue.

The mech was heard on the other side of the wall as he warbled, the sound like hybrid mix of low clicks, a purring machine and a whale song. It was completely new to the humans, and in the garage the mech getting his pedes pushed to try and get him in enough to close the old door.

Roadbuster only shifted, pushing himself partly up and hissed next, one hand reaching out to tug on Epps pack for attention, "Get something... seal my tanks..." he ordered but it almost sounded more like a plea to anyone that had spent several years working with the Foreman.

"How?" Epps shrugged off his pack, stripping the armor plates as well. Those where light weight, but the alloy that it was made up of _was_ Cybertornian made... Not nearly as effective because it just wasn't as thick or dense as what the mech's carried on their persons for obvious reasons with the size scale differences. He thrust out his arms to catch what was dropping out of the air beneath the palm in front of him. The air had shimmered in that way of the mechs using sub-space, and Epps managed to catch most of the things that were just dropped out. He looked down at the part, or rather tool in his hand. It was one of the things Ratchet had made, for the human 'mecha medics' to use back in Nests' 'glory days,' and what Mongo had been using.

There was just a moment of pain, as the hybrid man remembered a few months ago. He had been watching Roadbuster leaning over from the spot he was sitting, extending a claw to tap a few of the human sized welders to subspace and claim them, his visor never leaving the screen but likely watching the distracted Ratchet who had been watching the race as well for a few minutes.

"Patch, seal it with any metal." Roadbuster was adjusting himself, bringing Epps back, seeming to take in a deep breath with his chest and then front expanding. Protoform armor plates slid aside with mechanical whispers of sound, "That'll work just make sure its all sealed." He had seen the man take the plates off, they were made out of smaller, well, plates that were layered. "I'll talk yea through it... it'll take two of yea."

"Mongo, Jorge, strip the armor off, pull it apart if you can," Epps called, raising his voice to those inside, "Eddie! Toss you're armor to the door!"

"We need some help in here too!" The bigger man yelled back.

"And there's a trail of green metal and guns," Jorge pointed out as he started disarming to get to the layer of his own armor under it all, Glancing over as Jack started to the inside. "We need to take care of that slag."

"Later," Epps said as he tossed a fresh welder to Mongo along with one of the mech-fabic gloves, the two moving in on the mech as he flared his armor and did a partial transformation that just looked painful with parts being held up and stopped mid motion.

Later, but hopefully not too much later, Epps thought, the stop was blocking out most ways of watching- at least he hopped it did. Yet Jorge had a point, if they could get the assorted bits and parts out from plane view the better, though just one of those shoulder-launchers was going to take most all them to move.

The two men focused, having pulled their armor apart as instructed, bring handfuls each with as they had to pretty much take turns climbing deeper into Roadbuster's frame. The mech clearly didn't like the sensations any more, if not more than the two men liked having to do it. Yet it must be done. So with stressed static crackles in his voice, Roadbuster described what was to be seen- threatened to eat anyone that left things rattling in his frame- what the two humans could and could not touch. He wasn't a medic, but the leader of the Wreckers did know more than enough to help other Cybertronians, as well as knowing his own frame. The claws of his left hand dug into garage floor, the only outward sign of pain as he suffered from the uncomfortably intimate and invasive feeling of the humans working on him.

He needed his tank sealed, or enough that it would hold energon for a while, as the remaining nanites were re-build inside the tank. Then he could shut down into a safe semi-recharge state as internal repairs could finally start to work, and let the humans finish patching leaks. As well as make a list of the weakened spots from those fragging sabolt rounds their shared attackers used on him.

By the time that the riddled part in question looked a bit more like an energon tank again, and the damage around it was repaired as much as possible for what the two men knew (and maybe a few things that seemed logical, but still a guess) Roadbuster almost yanked the humans out of his frame. Hissing in a higher octave than normal, the Wrecker struggled to fold himself back into place in robot mode. Even still, Epps had to set the cup he had down and with the help of Mongo and Jorge, they pushed a few armor plates into place for the mech.

Roadbuster vented in a broken rhythm, trying to cool stressed systems and then slow pushed himself up, crunching a few things but not caring as he wedged himself into the garage at an angle, drawing his feet up with another cough to clear his intakes of something lodge in there from the purge, he had be able to ignore it until now.

The humans pulled the door down, almost closed with enough room for them side in and out if need be despite the wet ground, and a few trickles of water came in. Mostly pooling in the groves in the cement that large pedes had made some twenty or so minutes prior. Epps looked up to the now notable dimmer green glow, for a minute only the sounds if the rain, the mech's wheezing coughs and mumble words in the diner/store section filled the air.

Then a clawed hand lifted off the 'stomach' and chest armor that wasn't quite sitting like it had a ten minutes ago, and pointed at the door into the stastion. "Get those ta Tanner," Toadbuster had to pause to try and dislodge the irrigation, working his jaw to help, "'Fer my nanites die."

He aimed a finger down at the cup, watching as the hybrid scooped it up and hurried with what just might be the injured man's last chance. Before closing the largest whole, the mech had told the two to get some of the silvery fluid out of his tank if there was some left. The primary and secondary energon tanks were where most of a mechs nanites for internal repairs were produced. Granted these nanites weren't refined like those given to the few Nest members deemed 'worth it' according to Ironhide, but with no doctor or medic, the silver nanites were the best they had.

Epps wasn't all too pleased, but at the same time relieved at the chance. If it worked even partly, then the silver 'fluid' would start in on closing wounds and working to repair the internal damage. He came up to the tables, the Wrecker's instructions replaying in the back of his mind as he joined the cluster around the improvised medical table.

"Tanner?" He held the cup level, making sure not to spill as what looked like liquid silver crept over his fingers. He waited until the semi glazed eyes were meeting his, "This is gonna be a dirtier way of doing things... You know how Eddie, Lenox and I got injections? Started to become techno-organic-bad-asses?" He got a small, slow nod and continued, "This is like what we did, but not. I'm going to put this in the wounds, and your gonna have to down the rest like a shot. Nanites have to help you inside and out. Okay?" He wouldn't do it if Tanned refused, if it worked, it meant a much longer life span and a whole shit ton of other stuff.

Tanned shifted, hissed in pain before one hand let go of Eddie and reached weakly for the cup, not making it but he coughed himself before a cracking voice rose, "...hit me bar...tender..."

"Okay, Jack, hold his legs, we're in the level of new alien weird shit again," Epps gripped the hand tightly for a moment, then slowly prying the improvised bandages up and off, grimacing at the instinctual ugly sight. Yet the man hadn't survived human and Cybertronian wars and battles by being squeamish. Once the patch of duck-tape was off, and another being made to seal everything again, he poorer as much of the nanites into the bullet holes and the tear into fat and muscle as he could, rushing to reseal the area.

To Tanner's credit, he restrained himself well, jerking reflexively and clenching his teeth against screaming, he was holding back the instinct to get away from the burning sensations. Held or not it was impressive, more so when Epps helped prop Tanner up and almost force feed what was left of the active nanites to the injured man.

No one blamed the man for cursing himself unconscious after that.

Eddie sighed, "Damn that was...rough." the big man shook his head, about to scratch his head but stopped short. He was staring at the blood on his hand for a moment before grabbing one of the stray cloths to try and wipe most of it off. He glanced over at Jack as he stared to pry and inspect the cushions on the two booths that were closer to the kitchen. "What are you doing?"

"Not the best but," Jack flipped two of the cushions down, reaching for another to line up, he pointed at Tanner on the counter, "Better than him rolling or jerking before falling off there."

"Is it safe to move him?" Eddie asked, looking back down at the unconscious man he was still supporting with his other left arm.

"At this point..." Epps frowned, but then his mouth set in determination, "At this point it's more of a slim chance he'll survive the next few hours- he lost so much blood." The other dark skinned man carefully moved to lift Tanner's legs, nodding to Eddie to help lift him, "I'd rather him be more comfortable."

"As much as those things came be comfortable," Eddie grunted as he lifted Tanner, shuffling around until they could lay him down, covering the man with their jackets and vests for now.

"Start looking around, see if there's anything we can use here," Epps told the two, pointing to the kitchen, the counter and a general motion, "We're going to start hauling the things outside under cover as soon as I check on Roadbuster again." He moved to the open door, using a foot to kick a few wooden shards aside and glanced over at the dark rumbling lump of Wrecker, then at the few smaller pieces of armor that had already been dragged and pushed in under the cover of the garage.

The mech gave a, "Haaar…" as he shifted, left hand digging into the mess under him, pulling out a tarp and flicking it towards the human. Roadbuster picked at a few tares but got the rest so it flopped rather sadly over his leg.

"Needed a blanket?" Epps asked as he tugged on the old plastic, feeling the near brittleness, surprised it didn't dissolved under his fingers let alone being yanked like that by Cybertronian talons.

Roadbuster snorted, and then coughed, "Fer' Jorge..." He coughed again, the mech's glossa flicked into view as the Wrecker's attention shifted inward at that bit still annoying him now that he was settled as much as possible.

"Don't die big mech," Epps patted the nearer pede, the grasping claws on it flexing in return as the human pulled and bundled the old tarp up.

"Donna intend ta…" Roadbuster said as he shifted, watching as Epps took the tarp to and under the still open garage door. His exposed optics flicked focus to the inside door, he wanted to activate his scanners, but the energon had to be diverted to self repair systems. So he listened, filtering out the sounds of the rain to get the human voices inside, and then locating once more the weak breathing. Keeping track of each slow inhale as he silently encouraged the human to keep breathing.

Roadbuster knew he himself needed rest, but resisted dropping into recharge- or stasis as that would be worse. Recharge at least he could be awaked again by the humans, who depended on him to get them back out of this desert if his plan fell apart. It was like wastelands before the Sea of Rust, long, flat, rusty colored and in complete lack of anything useful but space. Hopefully this place didn't have the equivalent of Cyber-crocodiles that emerged from the Rust Sea to lay their eggs in the metal shavings before burring themselves nearby to guard their nests.

The mech twitched his claws, turning part of his attention away as Eddie came out of the inner door, only having a few hand guns strapped to his thighs. The hybrid human came over to grasp a part of Roadbuster's leg, the shin. He gave a rough purr in return, and again for Jack to assure them that no, Roadbuster was not planning on dyeing just yet. He did watch, grumbling with small mechanical growls as they worked to get his armor, now regretting he didn't drop it out in front of the garage. Yet he hadn't been thinking with his systems flooding, and with a vented sigh, Roadbuster realized he would need help once more with cleaning himself out.

Roadbuster coughed again, denta clicking as he tried again to get that last nugget loose. He returned his attention to listening to Tanner as the other organics worked together to get his armor either in the garage, or against the building to cover with the tarp. The hours it took had to be long, grueling labor, in the dark and rain. Though Jorge had the foresight to set out every pot, pan and most of the cups to catch the rain water in the meantime. When the humans finally returned, the rain was just starting to taper off a bit. They were surprised to found that Roadbuster managed to skim one of his subspace pockets to dump out human related things, including a few _large_ water jugs.

The Wrecker had stolen a lot of things, more than anyone really had expected, as much for saving for ' _just in case'_ moments, as well as... Well, more Roadbuster just wanting to drive humans crazy by way of missing supplies that had been there the day before, or even an hour ago. All three Wreckers did this, messing with humans, and Ratchet, but what Epps had caught on after the first few days of meeting the Crew, was that the mechs were prodding and testing the weird organics to see if they were worth as much as Optimus had said. Just in their own assery way of doing things.

Now, this habit and like to drive others crazy was worth it. Water and a case of granola bars, as well as another case of snickers was waiting for the exhausted men as Roadbuster was back to coughing, looking very annoyed himself, but not over the reason of the humans using one of his legs to prop one of the water jugs on. Nor did he mind them flopping or leaning against his legs, or in Mongo's case on using the pede to lean back on.

It was odd... but also just comforting as well.

After Tanner was checked on, to be sure the man hadn't died and was as comfortable as possible; Epps took stalk again on the situation. He could see one large hand inching closer to him, and from another rasping cough had a feeling of why. "Okay, check list: Roadbuster's tank is as sealed as we can get it, he's still breathing- so to say. So is Tanner for now- and we can't get to a hospital. We're stuck out here, until the big mech can transform again. But klepto habits of Wreckers and the canned stuff in the back, we might make a week and a half out here. The armor's hidden for now and the rain should wipe out tire tracks on the off road areas and we have no official or unofficial connections to this hole."

"And cell phones were destroyed." Jorge added, remembering the day before and so many hundreds if not thousands miles away where his own phone with four others had been crushed and ground under Roadbuster's tires. He had liked that phone...

"What about the energon trackers?" Eddie asked, worriedly looking up to green optics.

Roadbuster snorted, "I made those scanners." He shifted his shoulders and rumbled lowly, just shy of a true growl, "All of them- an' I made sure that my Wreckers an' Prime's Bots had the blockers fer' them. Besides, there's a lot of places that those scanners can't reach. This is one." He pointed down at the ground.

"Don't make something against your kind without able to bust it?" Marc asked.

"Frag right." The mech coughed, grimaced, a claw tugged at the back of Epps' shirt, "Squishy- help."

"Yeah, yeah." Epps shrugged to hold off, turning to look up the reclined metal frame.

"What are we going to do about money?" Jorge asked, not quite ready to talk again about what happened to drive them out into near fugitive-ness. He waved a debit card out of his wallet, "These are likely all locked, and credit cards too. Not to mention tracking if it does go."

Epps paused, looking at something in his right hand, that he had scooped up off the ground outside, rubbing it with his thumb before looking back up at Roadbuster. A light dinged on metaphorically speaking, and he started climbing up to help the mech, but also had that 'on a mission' air to him. "We have money- a shit tone of it really..."

Even the mech arched an optic ridge at Epps, confused as he watched the man climb over the unsettled armor. Boosting the man over his chest, and with an interesting face and an exasperated sound opened his mouth.

" _What_ the _hell_ Epps?!" Eddie demanded from the doorway as he half returned, staring in a cross of fascination and horror as their leader- for the lack of anyone else, reaching in to grab Roadbuster's denta.

"Calm down, he's choking." Epps snapped back, he had done this once before for Topspin. He knew all too well how weird it was, for not just him but the mech himself as the man had to pull himself into the Wrecker's mouth. Only this time it was slicker from the last time, as Roadbuster _had_ just purge. Bracing a knee on one of a fang, Epps reaching farther in past the curve of the glossa to feel over nothing and then he cursed and with a, "Sorry Buster…"

He felt the mech rumbling in distaste (both in comfort and likely littoral taste as the only remotely organic-like thing this mech could stand is olive oil) around him as he got a good hold of one back denta to get some more reach. Those alien 'teeth' where scary as hell really. It was a pure illusion that the denta were like human teeth, it wasn't true at all. The Wreckers had flipping _fangs_ that could cut through neck cables of other mechs, and the normally unseen denta in the back of the jaws were meant not for chewing soft meat and vegetables. Ooh no, these mechs were _giant robots_ who had to naw on strips of _metal_ off and on to feed their internal repairs and nanites- not to mention their likes of hard ores and minerals.

Then Epps felt something rough against his fingers and adjusted himself on the glossa to get a hold of the lump, it was still hard so the nanites hadn't started to break it down yet. Pushing and pulling for a full twenty seconds before the fist size lump was freed and Roadbuster vented in relief.

The glossa flexed a moment later, pushing Epps out with a, "Out!" as Cybertronians didn't need to use their mouths to talk, or depend on air. Epps scrambled and managed to keep from being cut on the sharper fangs or the other wicked looking denta, dropping down on Roadbuster's chest. He ducked as the mech lifted an arm up and dragged his glossa over his wrist and forearm. Over exaggerating for the other humans who didn't work as closely with the Wreckers normally, except for Tanner, and being kind for once. If Topspin could tolerate Epps pulling shards out of his mouth and glossa for almost an hour, so could Roadbuster.

"That was some weird shit Epps," Eddie said after a long pause, barely repressing the shiver that worked up his spine. That image will be stuck in his head, for a long time, "What the _hell?_ "

"Like I said before, 'Buster was choking." Epps grunted, sliding down the mech until caught and lowered the rest of the way to the ground, "And our cash problem is fixed." He held out the hunk of dark yellow that was just a little bigger then fist sized.

"Is that gold?" Jorge ask sitting up again off the side of Roadbuster's leg.

"More than a few thousand dollars worth." Epps nodded, pointing outside where the mech had purged out his tank on the old black top, "Not to mention the nuggets that are out there. What most people don't realize, is that the precious metals," Epps held up the chunk of gold, waving it a bit, "Are only precious to us: to _humans_. Gold, copper, silver, nickel, platinum, even steel- it's all just flavors and the equivalent of 'solid food' for the mechs."

Roadbuster chuckled, he sounded a tiny bit more comfortable, but still looked like hell, and as exhausted as the humans felt. "I see what yea're thinking lad..."

"Wait a minute," Mongo said sitting up again on the mech's pede, "If you eat metal, how do you... digest it?"

"Nanites," Roadbuster rasped, giving Mongo a look, one that all present were familiar with from both the Wreckers, and Ratchet (and yes sometimes from Ironhide too). It was that look that was a mix of ' _You-really-can't-be-that-stupid-can-you?_ ' and ' _come-on-you-silly-little-organic-thing-_ _ **think**_ _!_ ' with just a hint of, ' _What-_ _ **else**_ _-would-it-be?_ ' reflecting in his optics, "They dissolve metals, and crystals into a none heat-molten liquid state." Roadbuster examined his left forearm and one of the improvised, duck tape bandage wrappings around one of the minor lines. He frowned... where had that stuff come from anyway? And what was it made out of to hold a seal over energon?

"Why do you need… or do that?" Jack asked, wincing as he knew he likely sounded stupid to the mech for asking, and was going to get that same look as Mongo. But really, it had to be asked.

"Easier to absorb, makes more nanites for internal repairs," the formally green mech thumped back into his corner and back wall, the building seemed to give an almost unheard groan at that, "Slow healing... I'm going into recharge mates... need to dedicate energon to repairs."

"Go ahead big mech." Epps patted the protoform frame, watching with the others as those now visible green optics looked at each human, then shifted to stare at the wall to his left. Where Tanner was on the other side. Then with one last cough like sound and motion in the loose chest plates, the green glow faded as Roadbuster stilled completely. The dark skinned man rubbed the metal, not unlike how people did with cars normally. "Don't worry, we'll make sure you're safe Buster. And fix what we can."

Eddie wasn't the only one to nod, or agree softly. After all, of Roadbuster hadn't grabbed them, or slowed down for two of them to jump onto his frame, these men may not have survive the attack- the _human_ attack on both the Autobots and humans. Nest soldiers and the noncombat support staff alike had been targeted. They didn't know who it was, but the way the black clad men had moved... how they knew where the mechs liked to be, to work or socialize with their organic counter-parts. There was an unpleasant, but still there suspicion of who it was, and just that suspicions left a bitter taste of betrayal.


	2. Basking

The sound of claws twitching, scraping audibly against the textured, silver-y-black of the protoform frame, warned the watching man that Roadbuster was waking up from his recharge again. The Wrecker had been in and out of it, rising and falling into different levels of recharge over the last five days. Becoming aware long enough to be assured that the seven humans were alive, to check the report of repairs (his own internal repairs and what the humans were doing to help), and skimming his sub-space pocket for supplies for them. Though what came out was more than a bit random, a mix of stolen things, stuff from Ratchet and Ironhide- maybe even from the other Wreckers. It was the mech's 'dump-stash' pocket so to say, where smaller bits were put, including parts Roadbuster used in his weapon making, and some smaller armor plates too. Epps commandeered those, as well as the smaller parts from what the mech shed off, to help with fixing him, and a lot more duck-tape then the group would have liked to hold lines together or just in place.

No one understood _how_ or _why_ it worked, as the mech's energon wasn't eating the tape away, at least not very fast.

A low growl came out of the Wrecker, it was equal parts annoyed and pained as Roadbuster shifted. It was more like a stretch held in as his helm hit the roof of the garage, getting another growl of annoyance from him.

"Good morning." A human voice greeted, and brightening green optics turned down to look at the man sitting on his thigh, leaning back against the living metal of the mech's front. Mongo moved to stand up, glancing over a tattooed shoulder at the large hand coming up behind him, but it didn't pull the man off his new spot. "How are you feeling boss?"

"Like scrap..." Roadbuster grunted, he tilted his head, watching the human do the checks he and the others learned from Ratchet. The mech paused to consider the damage report as it updated, "Hmm... seems like my tank might be able to hold some fluid soon... need some old fashion basking time fer' energon." He was still rasping, or what sounded like rasping to human ears as the mech looked to the garage door, and the sun light bleeding in through the cracks as well as the small two foot gap on the ground.

Roadbuster suddenly wasn't fully sure about risking fluid in his primary tank now that he started moving. Aware by hyper sensitivity in the area how the molten remains in his tank shifted with the nannies inside working, so maybe it would be a better idea not to use it. The Wrecker was glad he hadn't gotten rid of secondary tank, plus that would work better he realized. Roadbuster wasn't made or modified to fully fuel up by using solar made energon, but given time he could after a few days and some internal alterations.

Mongo shifted, dropping into a crouch, and then jumped off the mech, wisely moving out of the way as he trotted to the garage door, lifting it up with a teeth gritting sound of metallic protest from the door.

It was a good thing they didn't have to be stealthy.

The others looked over from where they were sitting, just in under the shade of the main gas station building. One of the water jugs was sitting as far away from the direct sun and heat while still being close to the men to refill water bottles.

"Something wrong?" Eddie asked, sitting up as the man tossed a small chunk of copper at Epps to really wake him up. Not that the garage door screeching in protest again wouldn't do it as a giant metal foot nudged it up the rest of the way.

"Big man wants out," Mongo said as he grinned a bit, taking this as good news as the tattooed man moved out of the way again as Roadbuster stiffly shifted his way out of the shop on his back. The man glanced over to where a pale form was laying down in the cleaner, non-stuffy air of the inside. "How's Tanner?"

"Uhh..." the pale form barely stirred, but then slowly lifted an arm and hand limply to show he hadn't died yet as the hand flopped limply at the wrist.

"He seems to have stabilized, we did get a bit of that fruit juice, from the jars in the back, down in him with the water." Jorge said from beside the injured man, he shifted his own large frame, one of the two biggest of the men present. He was darkening like the others of the group with five days of sun, and working out in it while they kept trying to hide the larger parts shed from the mech. Right now he was on the shift of staying with Tanner, much like how Mango had been staying with Roadbuster to be sure the two were alright. Eddie checked over the ashen man, carefully looking at the improvised and improved bandages.

He looked up, as the former green Wrecker that completely freed himself from the garage and was now sitting up. Roadbuster poked at a few pieces of armor still in place on his person, considering them, and then eyed the disconnected pieces covered up. With a groan he turned to the humans, half pulling himself, half scooting to lay down on his front. Roadbuster debated on rolling over but his hands slackened on the edge where dirt and the old black top met, where his helm rested on it. A broken sound came out of the mech, one that normally was something the humans had learned was a mechanical purr from a mech. It was off, but still there in reaction to the warm ground under him and the warmer sun above.

Epps moved over to the mech, rested a hand on the helm, "You alright 'Buster?" The Wrecker grunted in return as the dark skinned man shifted to look down at the green optics, finding them dimmed very low but not completely off. He stood back up, one hand carefully feeling the broken left side of the mech's visor to see if the nanites had worked on that at all to repair. "I think that's a yes." He told the others.

"Do you have any proper bandages in that magic pocket big mech?" Jorge asked as he sat up beside Tanner.

There was another snort, and the purring sound faded to something more like an unimpressed and disappointed sound. "Not magic squishy. Sub space." Roadbuster shifted the level a look at the humans, the 'M' word was not one the Cybertronians liked, as it wasn't logical to them and just a too-weird thing of humans that just wasn't real as far as they were concerned.

Unless used in sarcasm against humans, a bit of mocking and derogatory way it seemed. Despite being a sarcastic bastard himself, Roadbuster generally didn't do _that_ to humans, call them idiots very loudly yes, but as Epps knew from experience he wasn't really spiteful to humans.

...at least, generally.

"Alright, not magic," Epps interjected, not wanting to think of that day but at the same time couldn't help it. The Wreckers hadn't been hesitate about firing at those men that attacked them. "Can you skim some more on your subspace pocket, or pockets?"

The large left hand twitched behind Epps as the man crouched beside Roadbuster's head, running one hand down the jaw line, finding a spot the man had seen Topspin go after. It was a sensor patch, or 'pool' as the mechs called it. It was an off-switch as far as Epps could tell, but the smaller sensor pools could get a mech purring and relaxed. For him it could be a bribery tool, or just a way to comfort, and that latter option was how it seemed to be taken as the fait purring turned deeper.

After a few minutes, the mech stirred as if waking up from a sudden nap, "Frigging squishie." Roadbuster muttered, tilting his head to get a better rub away from the pressure point, and then his left hand flexed. The clawed digits curled, stretched and repeated, but on the second time there was a not so faint shimmering within the space of his hand. It was like overheated air, yet the air if one was close enough to it would be cooler.

Roadbuster set the handful of miscellaneous things down on the old blacktop, repeating it twice more before pausing. Then the mech nudged something out of the semi-controlled mess as Epps knelt down by it with Mongo, starting to sort it. Epps leaned over and picked up the box that had been pointed out, recognizing at once the universal red cross for medical supplies and opened it.

He moved over to Tanner and Jorge at once, "Thanks big mech."

The Wrecker rumbled to the humans, his optics flicking as he watched them start the slow process of carefully changing the Tanner's wrappings from duck tape to proper bandages. It wasn't hospital sterile but they were keeping things as clean as possible, and putting faith on the nanintes in Tanner. The man was limp in unconsciousness again, making it a little easier for the process, and for Jorge to add a few stitches as the tape was removed.

Roadbuster sound changed to humming, almost without thinking as he watched. He glanced from the silvery tape on Tanner, and another wrapping on Jorge's arm he didn't remember from before stasis. Then as the rhythmic old tune became a bit louder, green optics turned to regard some of the duck tape that was wrapped around the smaller fuel and coolant lines.

"Hmm..." strange how even in injury there was a connection, relation. Roadbuster rested his helm down, still humming as he just let his personal, though small, solar heat to energon system boot up, needing time to bask in the direct sunlight and get some energon. He would need to start emptying his subspace pockets, sort them out and take a better inventory soon. The Wrecker was fairly sure he had the parts to make or retrofit something into a small scale (but needed) energon converter. All this sun needed to be taken advantage of. He didn't want to resort to using the canisters... but he might.

Jack moved over to Roadbuster, motioning to Mongo over to the shade, "I'll take over, get some water." He held up a water bottle as he moved to sit against the mech's left side, above the ingrained looking exhaust pipes. Leaning against one of the secondary canisters that were just as attached it seemed, as well as being nearly as tall as he was. He shifted, starting to trace what was in reach of the engraved glyphs that were all over the grey protofrom metal. It wasn't often, even in NEST that one was aloud this close against a mech, Jack wasn't ashamed to take advantage and examine the ancient looking glyphs. They were carved into the metal of the protoform he realized, seeing the little warn edges microscopic groves to the Wrecker's scale, barley a half in long, and they were filled in with a darker seeming metal substance.

"Oy," Roadbuster grunted behind him, proving not to have dropped into recharge as they thought. "The frag yea' doing molestin' me when I can't move?" The mech's voice vibrated against Jack's back and into his chest.

There was a long pause from the men, absorbing what was said.

Then Tanner who had just stirred awake, gave a wheezing, hitching sound that had Jorge and Epps tensing for a split second. Tanner was laughing, trying to and unable to help himself, curling up slightly as his chest shook with the barely heard laughter and yes the pain that resulted. But the quiet grin as he closed his eyes was showing proof that Tanner thought it was worth it. "Jack..." he breathed, trying to look over and see his team mate in or around the mass of metal, though Tanner's eyes were closing again from this new exertion, "Stop molesting the mechs..."

"...not promising." Jack said, slowly grinning as he shifted and nudged Roadbuster, then stood back up as he rumbled a pleased tone.

"At least do a me a favor mate, and molest this Wrecker in a better place." Roadbuster said shifting ever so slightly, head tilting for dimmed green optics to regard the humans.

"Nah, I have a feeling we're going to be climbing inside you again to check that tank as it is." Jack said, coming back around the mech's shoulder, he reached over once close enough to tug as gently as he could a piece of shrapnel out of the neck cables, exposed more with some of the thick over armor off the mech.

Roadbuster grunted again, not pleased but also there were no protesting death threats or cursing so he knew it might be a needed thing to happen.

"So what's the plan?" Marc asked from his spot, nibbling slowly on a granola bar to make his stomach think it was getting more then it was.

"Short term, long term or 'Ah hell I don't want to think about that' term?" Epps snorted from where he was gently wrapping up Tanner's right thigh. The bloody duck tape, sprinkled with glitters from the nanites, was tossed aside. He reached up to triple check the pale man's blood type, grimacing as the little engraving hadn't spontaneously changed into something they could work with.

"...all of the above." Someone said.

"One of the short term ones," Eddie turned to look at the dark, but now known aware optics. "Why did you bring us out here? Other than being out of the way."

"Bolt hole." Roadbuster said, head tilting to let Jack have better access to his neck cables.

The men exchanged looks, "This place?" Marc motioned to the abandoned gas station. They were NEST, they knew unofficially that the Autobots had taken precautions, just as humans had in those first shaky, carefully years leading up to and then working together. A habit of Cybertronians in general to dig in to a safe place, literally that is. Their own home world had levels and levels all the way to the planet's core, many of the Autobots, Decepticons and more so the Wreckers felt better with secure walls and high, cavernous ceilings above them, where they could walk and stretch.

"Here?" Epps, who had a little marginal more information about these things, asked as he looked thoughtfully around, "Are you sure? Wouldn't Topspin or some of the others have come here?"

Roadbuster's humming turned into low rumbling growl like sound for a moment, "No, we were going different directions, he had some o' yea squishies that he grabbed."

"Are they alive?" Mongo wondered softly, glancing in the general direction of their former base.

"Topspin is," Roadbuster's optics had partly shuttered, then opened again. "He's my Second, he'll keep those he can safe."

"Are you sure?"

Roasbuster growled at the humans, "Ah' know my bonded is alive yea little fraggers. If he wasn't I'd have killed the lot o' yea in a berserk rage." He shifted to eye those that dared think the blue mech was gone, knowing the threads that connected their sparks and formed the Bond were muted by the distance, but still hummed with life and love… and a mix of rolling emotions like he had for their humans in general. There was also that sharper grating edge of hate for whoever attracted them.

Epps made a motion to drop that part of the subject.

"This place isn't really like anything like the bolt-hole Tracks and I made…" Jorge cut in slowly as the big man slowly peeled off the tape on his arm.

"You're 'retirement plan?'" Eddie blinked and stared.

"What?" Marc blinked.

"When I was taken out of NEST the first time," Jorge smiled slowly, "Ironhide asked a favor… and to make a deal before I shipped out. You know my metal recycling place? More stealth then I thought was possible was engaged and we made an Autobot bolt hole that turned into a recovery ward. Tracks is the guard with me, and my niece I guess, she's running the plant. But it's a place we can get to maybe?"

Roadbuster considered before shaking his head a little, almost at the same time Epps and Mongo did.

"I don't think going there right awake would be a good idea, it's your place so... 'they' might be snooping there." Epps started, glancing back at the mech. "If Tracks can lay low and avoid notice like he has been...?" He trailed off with a questing inflection.

"The lad can," Roadbuster jugged from what he remembered of the other mech. "There's at least three bots that can't move there, we won't put them in danger ta be slaughtered." The wrecker wasn't the only one to twitch and grimace at that thought and mental image, only he had seen the result of a curly raided medical centers on Cybertron. He pushed the memories away of dark shells with gaping plasma burnt wounds where spark chambers should have beam."Won't risk that lil' lass of yea'rs either."

Jorge gave a faint smile, the girl, young woman was almost his only living relative and more like his only daughter. "The place is in her name right now... had a feeling that might be a good idea. Hope it will be."

"Sure it will be," Jack said, shifting as he thought about his own daughter, safe with his parents. Hopefully still.

"Short term goal?" Epps steered the conversation back.

"Find the bolt hole?" Mongo guessed, looking at the desert and then the station with a calculating gaze.

"Hmm, more like some good basking, then searching." Roadbuster admitted, venting out and stirring the sand and some gold flakes. "Need my scanners to find the fragging place, not enough energon fer them."

"Another short term goal: things for surviving." Eddie added looking around, motioning to the water jug, "we're rationing but can't live off of what we have for long."

Roadbuster's optics flickered on and dimmed back, he was quiet for a minute, letting the humans prioritize what they would need for surviving. He carefully rerouted some energon to tap into the internet and examine a few things then shut it down. Rerouting that energon back he looked around, even glancing at Jack so close, "Right now, I need ta bask, long as I can to make energon, can't do slag without it. Can't get yea all out. Can't scan something new either."

"Something new?" Epps echoed now.

Roadbuster smirked, and then yawned, the motion like and not like what humans did. Re-setting the mandible connections in the jaws, and then the flex metal down his neck shifted back into proper position. It also exposed those fangs that were half and arm's length long, if not a little bigger.

In all that, the mech kept talking, "As much as I like that impala mate, gotta blend in again now."


	3. Stepping

Roadbuster growled low and deep in his chest, feeling some of the vibrations travel up into his neck cables. He had stirred in the late afternoon light, drawing attention from the humans as he pushed up onto his hands and knees. The mech gave a half sound that was a little more like groan, his joints were stiff from being mostly still from the last two weeks of not moving, for both the stasis repairs and then just basking in the desert sun.

"…pit spawn slaggin'...ooooy..."

Epps grinned despite himself, listening to the mumbled words and growls that at one point years ago would have worried him. A mech mad or hurting enough to laps more into Cybertronian, and just the alien tones that made a human leery automatically. However, Epps was used to this Wrecker, and right now he was happy at hearing the muffled threats and curses, it meant that Roadbuster was feeling better. He was still hurt yes, but also able to move now and he far more alert then the mech had been in the last two weeks.

Roadbuster grunted as he carefully moved to arch his back, in a slow motion stretch, testing some of his range of movement as he did so. Seeing what still hurt and just to get the energon moving, _flowing_ , in his frame again. He grasped at the support column of the over hanger, then the edge of the roof above. More for added balance then for shifting his weight onto the old thing, besides even with most of Roadbuster's outer layer of armor off (and the main rocket launchers), the Wrecker still estimated that he would be a bit too heavy for the human structure.

"... _scrap_." Roadbuster said after a long pause, staring downwards at the crackled cement and black top under his peds, flexing the grasping toes on them.

"Something jar loose?" Mongo asked, moving forward to the mech, a hand held welder in his grip.

"Hm? Ah, no lads, just activated mah scanners." Roadbuster shook his head at first before he pointed down at the cracks between his pedes. "Still some gas down in those tanks."

"Can you use it?" Epps asked, eyeing the Wrecker carefully, he didn't like the look of dried energon and crusting grit, sand and dirt. _Dried blood on open-raw wounds_ , a voice whispered in the back of his head with an internal cringe, the man wasn't the only one who now knew what were the equivalent of human wounds on a mech's frame.

"Gonna have to." Roadbuster yawned, fangs flashing in the bright sun as he reset his jaw and small joints. "Just getting it out..." and it would taste stale and bitter as gas did... The mech shifted and looked down at his chest, fingering one of the canisters on his chest with an expression rarely seen by the humans he worked with, either NEST solders or workers.

"What is it?" Eddie asked once he indented the surprised, almost shocked look on the mech before the Wrecker started undoing the clasps and band on one of the containers.

"Forgot Ah' had these," Roadbuster said staring at the canister. He shook it, listening to the slight sound of a thick but still liquid martial sloshing inside. The wrecker looked around and vented in a way like a long suffering sigh as he started to twist the top of the canister open.

"What is it?" Epps asked coming out of the shade cast from overhang, Mongo not far behind with the largest of their group, Jorge, trailing behind. He was watching as Roadbuster took a careful sip from the canister, but the man caught the glimps of glowing blue on the inside of the lid. "Energon?" He perked up, Epps' tone reflecting his relief at the idea that there was some of that.

"Highly concentrated energon." Roadbuster corrected, making a face and almost gagging, or so it looked to humans. He shivered and took a second slightly larger mouthful before quickly capping the canister and shaking his head in a way that reminded Jorge of someone taking a shot of hard alcohol. "Aaarssft." Roadbuster 'said' with some sort of none-grace, glossa sticking out before he attached the canister back to spot in his chest, "Haven't had _that_ for five hundred years or more..."

The Wrecker could feel the heat from the dense energon already spreading through his near empty secondary tank. It still tingled down his intake and remined Roadbuster of the last time he and Topspin had shared this drink, pressing fists closed over the canisters in a slow motion cheers before drinking a quarter each before what they had thought at the time was the last stand of the Wreckers. Of nearly all their clan of Level Workers, with their mechlings in stasis and hopefully hidden away until after the fighting.

Facing odds that would have made Roadbuster's old sire Cronks balk, he and Topspin had downed what was nearly like vodka to Cybertronians for that extra edge. That surge of high grade energon and become over charged-drunk on more than the rush of battle. That thrill of tearing through the 'odds' and the Decepticons with his saws before he had been pinned under Decepticons. The Foreman class Wrecker had been furious he wasn't even allowed to face his death, as his visor and head was ground into the dirt and-

And Roadbuster remembered Ironhide roaring, the sense of even more chaotic movement before he was being pulled up to his pedes by Optimus, glimpsing a battle axe, hearing Leadfoot's voice again before things really got hazy.

Roadbuster lifted a hand, feeling over his broken visor and glanced down at the human men staring back up at him. He rumbled a neutral growl and quirked his lips up at seeing them relaxing a bit. "Can't have too much at one time. Don't want to be over charge an' useless." He shifted and took a step, frowning as he ran what internal scans were active again. His legs seemed stiff, the right knee and left hip more so as he continued the slow pacing to the road way.

Mongo kept up near but not too close to the mech's right foot, watching how he was moving as Jorge and Epps did the same on the other side. "So big mech," the tattooed man looked up and waiting a moment to be sure the green optics turned in his direction, "Any idea where this bolt hole is?"

"Or was it a random direction out into the middle of nowhere?" Jorge added, looking around the desert, and sighing himself as he thought of his home, the metal recycling plant he bought and made with his hazard and retirement pay seemed far more welcoming now. Where his newly built home was over the small Autobot base for three refugee mechs. Once more he praid to whatever deity might be even glancing in this direction that they all were safe, and even more importantly that Tracks and Eject were watching over and protecting his niece, his legally adopted daughter.

"No it's supposed ta' be around 'ere." Roadbuster lifted his head to look around as he flexed his hands, there was soft _shinc-shinc_ sound as his claws pulled back and extended several times. "I dinna make it, but Ironhide said it was here."

"The question is where/" Epps asked as the mech rolled his shoulders, some panels shifting and twitching where his launchers and some of the over armor would have been.

Roadbuster nodded, "Got a few locations, an' a basic location fer around 'ere," the mech waved his hands as he felt something shift and ease in his left hip. The mech scowled a moment as he realized that it was likely something that had drained from his tank and inadvertently lubricated his hip joint. The Wrecker looked back up and turned partly to point at the desert, "Somewhere around 'ere there's one. _Supposed_ to have energon an' supplies."

"Repair tools?" Mongo asked hopefully, inspecting the desert again with a new hope and gaze, and then after glancing back to the gas station, "Medical supplies for humans too?"

"Maybe," Roadbuster eased down into a crouch beside the three humans, one hand reaching out and the backs of his claws brushed against Jorge's arm, over the proudly worn NEST tattoo on his left arm and a glyph on the right that was a simplified version of 'Autobot'. Mongo had the same glyph too, as did Tanner. "How is Tanner doing?"

"Better." Epps reported, smiling, "The nanites did the trick it seems. Tanner isn't pale like he's lost _all_ of his blood. He even starting to eat something more than broth of soup and fruit juice yesterday. Complaining about not being allowed to get up this morning."

The mostly green mech vented a sigh, and smiled as he stood back up to head, "Good, maybe he can take some steps later on. Gotta look around fer a hatch."

"Where?" Jorge asked.

"Frag if I know."

"..."

"..."

"...great." Epps sighed and rolled his eyes, having the distinctive feeling the next few days were going to be filled with digging and crawling over hot rocks trying to find something that wasn't supposed to be found at all. Roadbuster's chuckle from above wasn't all comforting either.


	4. Breathing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fear me... I aim feels at everyone

The giant that was looming over him in the dark of the night, it was larger than life with blazing red eye like optics burning down at him. Like an angry metallic god of death. Parts flared out, extending like half formed arms or extra limbs as the large mech braised himself on the ground as it stooped to get a closer look at him. The feeling of just the sheer mass filling his vision was as over powering as the thick energy field pressing down unseen on him.

Every fiber of his being were alternating from screaming in fear and screaming at him to run _the hell away damnit!_

He could see the giant's mouth opening, fang like denta shining in the double light image. The real darkness- the light dimming more with the form blocking it out, as well as the green sheen from the lens over the man's left eye. That little boy part of him that had been safely buried deep inside of him for nearly thirty years, looked up and cried at seeing that this monster-god of metal was big enough to make a snack out of him! That childish fear was newly reinforced at seeing the fully exposed fangs and the fluid shining inside from energon or oil or... maybe something else, as a large hand like shape moved towards him, digits that were size of trees curling around to grab or crush.

Run away! Run away! RunrunRUN!

He gripped his riffle tighter, taking a step closer to the giant, wanting to cry, wanting to run wanting to be anywhere but there with death feet away from every side. He knew even if he couldn't sense that his team had to be behind him.

 ** _"Should have left..."_** The mech hissed not in any human language and smirked.

Tanner jerked, his hands closing automatically and lifting as the half translated Cybertronian words echoed in his head. It took a moment for the man to see that the darkness around him wasn't the same, it was...softer. There was no massive form, not red light but a dim blue of a small lamp so if anyone woke up they could move through the semi organized chaos.

The blond man flexed his fingers in the air over a rifle that wasn't there, and Tanner paled a bit before spreading his fingers wide and pressing them down on his legs. He was very glad he didn't have a weapon as he saw the form of Eddie stretched out on his back, and hearing Mongo snoring lightly not far away to his left. He wasn't sure where the other three men were at first, and after getting his breathing back under control quietly so not to disturb his team mates. Friends, family, that had been taking care of him these past two weeks, making sure he wasn't going to die, the least he could do was keeping it down now that he was.

Tanner made a face, leaning back on the improvised bed that had him propped up. It wasn't all that comfortable, but it was also better then the hard ground that Eddie was on, or where Mongo was behind the counter of the old gas station. Listening carefully it sounded like Jorge was in the kitchen, the man was another snorer, his tone a bit deeper and louder.

The man made a face, shifting and slowly, carefully rolling over onto his better side. Tanner knew better, he really did know better but another sound was drawing him to get up. His whole body ached from the nanites struggling to fix the damage to his body, and convert him into a technical 'cyborg' like Epps and the others. Yet between faced with being in the near quiet and dark, and getting himself up to go over to the workshop next to the main part of the station where soft growling of cybertronian cursing. The connecting door was all of ten feet away from him, and Tanner bit at his lip to repress the groans that were lodged in his throat.

His movement had a stillness from the work shop, the mech's scanners likely picking up on Tanner's attempts to get up, then his slow progress to the door, and leaned on its frame.

"What are yea doing lad?" Roadbuster's voice grumbled from the back of the shop, where he was lounging on his back. The green optics dimmed as he shifted slowly to nudge his left pede over to the door way, curling his griping claws.

Tanner smiled for a moment, and then pushing off the door frame with a grimacing, "Sorry boss...couldn't sleep anymore." he grasped one of the edges in the mech's foot...pede and used the mech's frame to slowly walk up closer until he was in Roadbuster's arm's reach. He fought the urge to flinch as the large hand lowered to his level, the claws staying out, likely unable to retract again. This wasn't the nightmare, wasn't a threat to him or what was left over of his team. Tanner eased back into the curve of the mech's fingers, wincing but getting comfortable as he was lifted off his own feet.

The Wrecker rumbled a soft reassurance, "Nanites starting to hurt?" he asked, propping his handful over his other arm. Waiting for Tanner to move and then settle down against his arm and one of the canisters on his chest, legs stretched out on his forearm.

"Yeah...Eps said it was normal?" Tanner asked, looking up to the mech's face and finding it strange to see Roadbuster's optics and the optic ridges without the visor shielding the upper part of his face.

Roadbuster nodded, keeping his voice low, so not to wake any of the other humans up, "Yes, Eps said it itched an' sometimes became hot." The wrecker relaxed back as much as he could again, growling a neutral sound as he looked around, "The nanites will be working on muscle an' organs by now, starting on yea'r bones soon to help support the new weight when yea can eat more."

"Kinda sounds scary when you put it like that," Tanner said in a dead pan and snorted as he heard, more felt the mech chuckle. "Well it is boss."

"Not gonna loose yea lad," The mech said firmly before smirking and gave a low, affectionate growl, lifting his other hand to very lightly poke Tanner's left foot.

"...thanks boss." Tanner said lowly after quiet moment to let the mech's words sink in.

"Get some rest Tanner." Roadbuster said, and smirked in the dark at the snort he got.

"I've been doing nothing _but_ resting Roadbuster." Tanner said, his tone turning more complaining.

" _Good._ " The wrecker said, green optics glower brighter in the dark as he looked down, "I never lost a member of mah Crew by forcing them to work when recovering, I ain't gonna start that scrap now." Roadbuster said, the growl shifting slightly but still non aggressive to the man. "I all but lost mah clan Tanner, yea lads are nearly all I have left. A Foreman with no crew?"

That was a Forman who failed, a leader that lost family and friends first... that was a nightmare he couldn't stand living with. When every pulse of the spark a reminder of all those lost.

"But your man Topspin is still alive isn't he?" Tanner asked, remember this tidbit of information. It had been a shock years ago at first, until someone had pointed out that these were _alien mechanical life forms_ that didn't have genders as humans knew it. It had been still been a surprise to see the blue colored Topspin reaching out to grab the somewhat shorter Roadbuster as he walked by, giving the other mech a rough but affectionate nuzzle only to shove Roadbuster away again.

Roadbuster, who already had a reputation to be loud and angry seeming at the time, the mech had froze. Most watching, including Tanner had expected a fight to break out. That's what people said after all, the 'Wreckers' were more inclined to start fighting then other Autobots, only Lenox and Epps had been the ones to roll their eyes instead of gaping when Roadbuster demanded if that was all the attention he was getting. He and Topspin had debated for the next half an hour over the times appropriate for interfacing in front of squishy native organics.

At least, Tanner thought it had been a half an hour, he, like many others discovered why the rumor mill grounded out so many warnings of the normally quiet Topspin, the mech's voice had…interesting effects on human bodies.

"Mah mate is alive," Roadbuster's voice drew Tanner out of the past and focused him back to the here and now, inside the old gas station. The man noted the accent was thicker for a few moments, a more Cybertronian then human accent at that. He watched from his spot as metal claws scraped over armor away from him, though it left no mark. "I would feel it if he died lad, our sparks are and ever will be bonded."

The mech was now looking in a specific direction, looking at the midway point of the outside wall of the shop where a tire iron was, that neutral more thoughtful growling starting. Tanner could feel the vibrations pulse in intensity with the rise and fall of the sound, so strangely comforting. Like someone breathing, even if Roadbuster didn't need to breath for staying alive.

As the quiet stretched on for a little bit, it was only interrupted by a tire voice of Tanner before he dosed off, nightmare now blocked by the sound of the living friendly mech who wanted the man awake. "We'll find your man boss..." Tanner was aware of the green optics turning back down to him with amusement before physical exhaustion and maybe the new nanites sent man back to sleep to heal and rest.

"Nothin' on this world will stop me." Roadbuster promised the darkness. He could felt the active rhythm of emotions from the bond from his mate and surviving creations, sending his own wordless love back to them.


	5. Search

 

 

Jorge rolled his eyes as he faintly heard Tanner snoring back under the overhang of the station, but once again that was reassuring, and Roadbuster was walking slowly around again. The mech was joining with grid pattern to search around the area, searching for the Autobot made bolt-hole with his few active scanners aimed down.

Now and then Jorge would look up as Roadbuster paused to tap the end of his pede against the ground or lightly kick aside a chunk of rock out of his path. Sometimes a rather indigent lizard or insulted gopher snake would jump in surprise before running off away from the relative mountain of moving metal. Roadbuster didn't seem all that interested in the creatures at first, letting them run from him before talking another step. Roadbuster's steps seemed off, they were still heavy as Jorge and Epps knew almost all mechs were, just not as much. Yet without the extra kibble, the extra weight of the over armor, or even the outline of just the launchers over his shoulders and on his back... The Wrecker's outline just seemed so... so strange now that he was upright and moving around.

"That's another section cleared." Jorge sighed once they finished their current pattern, he moved to stand in Roadbuster's shadow with his friend, trying to get the grit off his hands from pulling and pushing rocks while looking for any sign of the blot-hole.

The mech shifted as he partly turned, still moving a bit stiffly, and peering back at the station, "Primus below..." he muttered, thinking of the energon that should be in there, and other supplies.

"Where would you make it 'Buster?" Epps asked the mech as the dark skinned man leaned on the inside of the Wrecker's left leg, "If you were the one making the bolt-hole."

As the silence drew out it shifted from confused to stunned, Jorge could almost feel their alien companion blinking in his equivalent way.

"Well... frag meh..." Roadbuster muttered, his words oddly soft and thoughtful as he turned a little more, the leg the humans were on and near barely moving much from the knee down as he regarded the old station. The green optics shifted to scan the desert again with this new idea, judging for a few quiet minutes.

Epps looked over at the taller man beside him, arching an eyebrow as he crossed his arms in satisfaction of a small job not only done, but well done. "You can hear the gears turning." He was trying not to smile, but failing.

"You couldn't have shared this idea before we were stumbling through the heat before...?" Jorge demanded, hands on his hips then motioning upwards at Roadbuster the shade giver that was murmuring something about being close enough not to be suspected.

"Could have, if I thought about it then." Epps admitted, shrugging as he still leaned on the mech's leg, and then used the slight shifting motion in the leg as a warning to push himself up to standing on his own. Roadbuster stepping over the two humans to walk back to the station, muttering about Ironhide's stride.

"So...'Hide made or found this place..." Jorge hesitated, glancing around and exchanged looks with Epps. The two men grinned as they caught onto why Roadbuster was muttering.

"That big guy didn't... does not like to walk far." Epps chuckled, and corrected himself. There was no body, no proof of the big old grumpy mech was gone, so he was somewhere out there. "He makes it about...what? A city block and a half before grumping?"

"Depended on Ironhide's mood, sometimes he made it two blocks." Jorge nodded as he scanned the ground for anything that might resemble and old mecha 'foot print' in the sand and earth.

"Iron's hide's foot is about…this wide in the front right?" Epps asked as he held his hands a part, almost at the extension of how far his arms would reach, "Bits roughly included?"

"About that yeah," Jorge nodded after a moment he looked around, then motioned the other man to come with him to the back of the station and looked around. "Let's start from back here," he said as Mongo emerged from the back door with a refilled water bottle.

"Any luck on your side?" Mongo asked, staying in the shade for now as he looked after Roadbuster that was walking back and forth in a relatively small area for the mech's own stride, "Did something happen?"

The taller Epps nodded, "You can say that," He motioned to the nearly protoform mech that was growling at a spot on the ground before he knelt down. "Turns out, Ironhide made or picked this place for the bolt hole, and Roadbuster's trying to sort out how he would make it."

"...huh, might be the way to narrow down the search..." he paused and Mongo frown, "Why didn't anyone think of that before?" He arched an eyebrow as the biggest man laughed and lightly punched Epps in the shoulder before walking after the mech.

"Just didn't' think of it until now." Epps sighed, rolling his eyes as he followed after Jorge with Mongo beside him, "How's Tanner?"

"Still snoring as you can hear, but he's getting himself upright all on his own now. Maybe not up to Roadbuster levels of starting to curse us out yet, but he's starting to grump at the lack of showers. Eddie too."

"Me too," Epps made a face, and an execrated motion of waving away the metaphorical stink lines away, "We're hitting week three and something of being out here? Between the sun, whatever Buster bled on us and just working now... we're ripe."

"I hope there's a water reserve in the bolt hole, or some hotel we can raid a room for a shower." Jorge said catching the end of the conversation as they walked.

Roadbuster snorted, "If nothin' else I'll dunk ya lads inta energon. You'll smell better then." He smirked with fangs flashing into view, down at the three humans clustering around him before lifting his head and giving a piercing, double whistle like sound through his denta to get the attention of Eddie and Jack. The other two men started over while the faint snoring shudder and stopped, followed by grumblings.

"I hate to say it..." Mongo started, making a face.

"Dude, no. Just… No." Epps protested looking at the other tattooed man, pushing at Mongo's shoulder in protest.

"Hey, once we stopped being in active combat zones? I _liked_ being able to get a shower." Mongo tossed back as he walked over to where Roadbuster's right hand was bracing himself on the ground. Then he spotted it. "Is that...?"

"Energon is sticky as hell!"

"Not all o' it." Roadbuster pointed out, and then pointed to the scarring on the rocks, "Aye lad, Ironhide is a warrior class frame, the slagger isn't half as good as some ta hide all his tracks."

"Literally in this case?" Mongo wondered as he moved around the mechs claws, unbothered by them at this point, before he snorted, "It looks like the rock was flipped over. Big mech?" he half asked, stepping back and looking up as he pointed to the large, relatively flat but three and a half foot wide rock.

Roadbuster obliged as he shifted to flip the rock over, and back into a slightly weathered worn indentation in the earth, showing everyone how the rock had been clearly stepped on and cracked on that side. "Ironhide, e' kicked this ta try and hide that he stepped on it."

Despite themselves, several voices busted out laughing, drawing Tanner's attention to start walking slowly over now as well.

"Yep- hah!" Epps laughed as he grinned, and it felt good to laugh like this for even just a few minutes. "Ironhide... kick the thing to hide the thing. Yeah that's him."

"Did something happen?" Eddie called once close enough, trying to control his breathing as he spotted that Tanner was almost over as well. The big man diverted to check on his friend, reaching out with his left arm. Eddie didn't mind letting Tanner grasp and lean on him, looking a bit paler then that morning with his sudden exercise.

"Possible," Roadbuster said, not bothering to get up yet as he leaned to one side, half kneeling as he braced with his right arm and started to poke around with his left. The humans could feel a buzzing from a more intense, local scan. The Wrecker sat up, green optics staring at a small spot closer to where Jack was standing catching his breath in the heat.

Mongo looked between Jack and Roadbuster, then at the others with something that felt... lifting in his chest, "That... that looks more than a 'possible' thing going on."

"It really does," Epps was perking up hopefully as well, dodging out of the way with the other men as Roadbuster half crawled to the spot.

Jack dodged as he was poked and nudged aside, resting a hand on the grey forearm as Roadbuster started running his claws into the ground. Pushing earth and sand around, searching for a latch, a trigger- an _edge_ of something... The low, half growling sound coming from the mech was rising from a faint background, to louder as he made his own hopeful sound. Roadbuster needed energon, needing fuel and supplies as much as the humans. He couldn't survive on basking and taking shots for long. The half protoformed mech shifted to searched another spot, hoping with thoughts of tools and parts to replace damaged things internally-

Roadbuster's claws caught on something metal in the sand, not a buried rock. Despite having hoped for it and partly expecting, Roadbuster made a startled chirp as he dug his hand down to grasp the lever. "Primus below..."

He looked at the nearest human, Eps was grinning back standing tense with barely repressed energy and hopefully. "Do it big mech."

Roadbuster shifted to be kneeling as he pulled, nearly lifting the lever out of the ground. Everyone jumped as the ground then sank a few feet.

"The frag!" Roadbuster cursed rocking up to his feet, turning to scoop up Tanner into his right hand, following Eddie off the slowly moving… tray? Roadbuster had to step up, aware of two men that hadn't been fast enough to get off the camouflage parts of the hatch way were grabbing onto his legs, riding up to the proper ground level. "Who in there right minds puts the hatch trigger in the _middle_ of the hatch?!"

"Apparently Ironhide dose boss," Jack said jumping off the mech's right leg, peering over the edge of the now opening, his eyes were wide as he too felt the lifting sensation that came with hope.

"The ol' wancker!"

"Amen," Epps said as he checked over Jack and Mongo, and a semi familiar sound of metal and Cybertronian mechanics, the group looked at the now opening. A gaping hole in the landscape like something had just taken an eraser to it, leaving behind the eerie blue-grey and silver colors of Cybertronian alloy.

Roadbuster sent a ping over a short wave Autobot channel then as something pinged back automatically a slow smile started to form. His fangs flashing into view as the mech remotely triggered the hatch way to open, and it did. Unfolding like an alien flower blossom that let cool air rush up to the watchers. The metallic petals spiraling out and up for a moment before they started to fold back into each part. The compacting petals then fitted into the sides of the hatch.

"Basic root-hatch," The mech said leaning to the side over the opening as he boosted Tanner up to his shoulder. He could feel the human scrabble for a moment before getting a hold on the collar ride, and wedging a foot into an armor seam for balance. "The ol' cannon must have used some _old_ _scrap_ ta make this."

"Root-hatches..." Epps frowned a moment, staring at the blackness down the oddly smooth like walls. There was a slight reflection, or refraction of light on the sides of the round shaft, "Wait, was this dug out with that, ah, what's it call... the flash crystal-line mining thing you talked about a few months ago?"

The wrecker slowly crouched down, frowning for a moment as green optics started to critically examine the shaft down as sounds started to echo up, "Aye, it is lad. It's supposed to be used fer softer rock, not these sediment layers. No one touch the walls on the way down." Roadbuster instructed, pointing to the faintly shiny edges, "Don't want tons of sand following us down."

"What?" Eddie asked looking at the other darker man, arching an eyebrow.

"One of the things the bots can do." Epps explained as the humans grouped up beside Roadbuster to wait for the lift to rise. It did sound like a large lift now that the echoes were clearing up. "If I remember right, it's a way that forces a type of crystal to grow, eating the rock up as it's fueled by energon. Leaving behind a residue, or material, that's fragile and then turns to a sand or dust that can be swept up."

"But it's not meant for digging in loose stuff?" Mongo guessed, grasping Roadbuster's leg to anchor himself as he got a good look down the shaft for himself. But not too close to the edge.

"The sides will hold, but not if 'dey get a lot of pressure." Roadbuster stood back up, glancing at the gas station. "We'll 'ave ta fix that..." he muttered the Wrecker accent slipping thicker as he started muttering. The mech motioned at the shaft, "Don't fall in, I'm getting' my launchers an' armor. We're loading everythin' on the lift."

"You got it," Epps nodded, motioning Jack to stay near the lift, "Yell when it's up. Come on let's see if we can help Roadbuster, and get our own supplies. If we get stuck downstairs, I want water at least."

"Yes sir," five voices echoed, ranging from bemused to, mostly, relieved as the group split up partly to start gathering things.

Roadbuster glanced to his side, reaching up to poke Tanner's leg lightly, "Got a hold there lad?" He murmured, tilting his head to just be able to see the thin man out of the corner of his optic.

Tanner looked up, close enough that he could see the lenses behind green optics, "I can, just don't turn your head too fast boss." The man answered as he chuckled, moving to pull himself over closer to the mechs neck. There he would carefully wedge himself between the muscle cables and color ridge. It might be a bit awkward, likely more for the mech then Tanner himself but the man realized it put him out of the way of the activity.

The Wrecker rumbled back, moving to the other side of the gas station, crouching slowly to reach under. Roadbuster grasped the side of the building as he pulled out one of his launchers from under the tarp, a growling grunt escaped from the mech. He pulled it up and into his center of balance, not feeling up to carrying one armed like he used to. "Primus..."

"Won't be long boss," Tanner spoke from his spot after a few minutes, his voice taking a tired edge again despite the small shifting motions to keep balance. He couldn't help the reflex to pat at one of the muscle like cables beside him.

Roadbuster could feel it as he kept a sensor on the human, "Aye... self-surgery is going ta be so fun." But needed, and the mech wasn't going to be shy about grabbing Epps and Mongo to help as well. He turned slightly after setting the second launcher on the raised lift platform, Roadbuster reaching up to lightly poke at Tanner's legs, "An' we'll get ya some more nanites once down there."

"Yaaay," Tanner said in a deadpan, and then leaned forward enough to flip Jake off below when the other man started laughing.

"It's keeping you alive man!" The dark haired man called up, hearing a grumble, shading his eyes as he peered up where Roadbuster was doing a count on his loose armor parts. Some of the smaller bits had been dragged over by the others as well as the supplies.

"Everything all here?" Epps called as he came up to the lift last, with a small box that he had put in some plates, cups and forks. He really didn't want to get stuck underground unprepared, though admittedly the man was really hoping that Ironhide would have thought to leave supplies for possible human allies down in the bolt hole.

"Looks like it Bobby," Mongo said, glancing over to see the other man making a face at the name. Mongo grinned for a moment, "Ready boss?" he called up, standing on the still cool metal of the lift.

Roadbuster rumbled and he paused, looking down to do a head count, pausing as he stared. Then the mech's green optics flashed before he seemed to rolled his optics and helped Tanner down off his shoulder, not admitting in the slightest that he had momentarily forgot that the man had been up there. "...aye …don't touch the walls."

"Yeah, no walls collapsing on our heads." Eddie said rubbing a hand over his head, and made sure he was closer to the center of the lift. The big man moving to stand next to Tanner with Jack on the other side, "Shiiiit..." he muttered as the lift was triggered by the mech standing over the group of humans.

It was an eerie sensation not just standing on the alien metal but watching the surface level starting to rise in an optical illusion. Mongo seemed to give up and sat down for the ride along with Jorge, while Epps was jumping to hang onto Roadbuster's left ankle. The mech was pacing on the platform, rumbling and grumbling more, he wanted energon, wanted to check parts for repairs, wanted his human wreckers safe… The mech glanced up as he himself sank below the line of direct sunlight. The wrecker's growl lowered to a more murmuring sound, thoughtfully as he watched the whole to the surface get further and further away.

Roadbuster sent another ping to trigger the hatch and cover to close, slowly plunging the group into darkness.

"Well, no going back as they say?" Epps voice said once in the dark, he smiled as two lights, head light style came to life above as Roadbuster chuckled.


	6. Dug Out

"Yessss..."

Robert Epps rolled his eyes as he heard that from where he was, the man twisting to brace his back against metallic fingers. Grasping a support the man pulled himself further into Roadbuster's systems, biting a little harder on the 'strips' of metal he had shoved into his mouth to carry them. Epps had been hearing variations of triumph like that as one person after another got a chance to take a turn with the so called shower. "I think this is the last patch 'Buster. At least here on your tank."

"Good," Roadbuster's voice rumbled and rasped a bit around the human, he was half laying down, half leaning back on some of the supplies behind him, including his own launchers, and then grunted out, "Mongo?"

"I think your hip isn't leaking anymore," the other tattooed man said looking up as he leaned back and pushed at the armor panel he was looking under, watching it smooth back. Mongo used the chance to climb up onto Roadbuser's leg. His balanced wavered as the mech shifted with another pained grunt, the man watched the impressive talons flex in the air, but resist pulling Epps out from under his armor and out of his system.

"Is that the main tank you're working on?" Mongo asked, moving carefully to perch a little closer.

"Yeah, I think it's sealed, there's no signs of leaking." Epps reported as he pulled himself out, watching the inner systems and armor folding back into place almost at once. "Sorry boss, I know that mush hurt like bloody hell having us do that."

Roadbuster let himself groan a long sound, relaxing as best he could. It was taking so much willpower not to reflexively gouge on the energon reserves. Having to trust the men to pull over smaller containers he could down every twenty minutes when all his starved systems wanted was  _more energon_. It was not as bad as when they first came down, and admittedly he had not been the most graceful at spotting the first energon cube.

It must have been something Ironhide had forgotten, a half empty, mostly clear cube that glowed softly in the darkness below and around the lift. It had been a good thing Roadbuster had long since set Tanner down on the lift, for the mech had reflexively launched off the lift and at the energon as soon as he spotted it. His denta had cracked the cube, fangs piercing through the thin crystalline material, forever marking it. The Wrecker had managed to control himself after, having energon in his tanks helped.

It also helped that getting a little nauseated from suddenly having mid- if slightly stale energon in his tank mixing with old gas.

If it had not been for the lights on Roadbuster, the cavern the lift would have been in completely darkness. The wrecker-humans had climbed down steps made for mecha, turning on their own flashlights, some brighter than others as they found large supply cases in front and to their left of the lift. It hadn't taken long for the mech to open on, finding the equivalent of a lantern that was set up, and some medical supplies he used at once. There had been no more energon there, yet Roadbuster started chewing on a soft metal-looking bar, something for fueling nanite reproduction of the internal repairs.

"Need another dose?" Epps' voice drew Roadbuster back to the present, and he nodded.

"Aye…the gas is almost gone, should be safe ta get some more." Roadbuster nodded, looking around the current tunnel they were in. It was carved into stone, but not just any way, but curved to support itself. Yet the ribs were paced and shaped like the levels back on Cybertron. It was scaled down yes, but some even showed signs of being carved to look more like it, to look like home to Roadbuster's optics. Or an attempt to be home like.

The mecha huffed, sitting up a little more as the two men jumped off him, his exposed green optics scanning over to the crudely made but apparently effective shower he had rigged up once finding the filter system in this tunnel. There was no truly hot water, but a spare heating coil turned the cold ground water to something warm that the humans could clean up with. The mildest of cleaners were safe for humans to use and the closest to soap they had.

It made them happy at least, and Roadbuster smiled, turning to look back down to his far right, the way to the lift and the first low chamber-cavern. If anyone bigger than average sized mech would have to get down and crawl through the first part of the tunnel, or transform to roll through before the main tunnel opened up so even bigger tank-formers or loader-classes could walk up right. The group were far down from the tunnel entrance, and in the first branching center, one of the side tunnels was not too deep and had more supplies, including lights, tools and more medica supplies.

As it turned out, there was also air scrubbers, and a crate Ironhide filled with things he thought a human companion might need. Thankfully it seemed that Maggie had given him a list of things, or was helping Ironhide with it somehow. That was the suspicion...

Maggie Madsen?

Roadbuster sat up as he frowned, thinking of the little human female he had made multiple attempts to steal her from Ironhide's support crew over the years since coming to Earth. Not nearly as many as Leadfoot had done, and a few outright kidnappings to try and get Maggie to become a part of the wrecker support staff instead of Autobot staff.

The mech did a head count before a soft growling started.

Heads turned to look over, Epps and Mongo tag-teaming to drag another can of energon over before taking a turn at the shower. "What is it?"

"We gotta head back, or start checkin' support crews, there had ta' be some that survived." Roadbuster decided, moving to take the can. His denta scraped the metal as the mech tried to keep from spilling any.

"Gotta get you healthy first," Tanner pointed out, frowning a bit from his spot on a cloth to one side, his hair was still wet but the man was feeling better by so much now. "Since we have somewhere safe now, the boys can't get far without you."

"He's right," Jack nodded, coming out of the water stream, the excess water going past a grate to soak the earth under that area. He moved closer and grabbed a towel to dry off. "We can make a small attempt, test to see who's out, or if we can get in contact with your mate."

"An' a new form." Roadbuster glanced back at his launchers before reaching out and pulling one over, cleaning the connection joint and locks.

Epps nudged Mongo to pay attention and the wrecker humans grinned as one long before the first panel of heavy armor was reattached. It took a few hours to do so, and getting energon but the mech was up and walking around in the three branching tunnels to find out what was there.

Jorge jogged up and caught onto the edge of the mech's ankle, jumping up to ride on his pede. Adding his flashlight to the car lights, "How much supplies are likely to be here Boss?"

Roadbuster paused, glancing back but no minding he only had one passenger, "Enough for a few bots fer...ten o' yea'r local years. Supposed ta be. That's what I made the bolt hole under yea'r house ta be."

"…Roadbuster?" Jorge looked up, now that there was some more space between them and the others, and continuing to get more space.

"Aye lad?"

"You think Winona will be safe? At the plant." Jorge asked, watching the dark tunnel scape, the curve of bed rock.

Roadbuster slowed his pace, hesitating as he considered that bolt hole he had helped make as a hidden recovery ward for Autobots and Wreckers. The mech shifted, planting his right leg and kneeled down, hand on that knee as he tilted his head. Staring at Jorge balanced on his pede. "Aye... I think yea'r lil' lass, yea'r sparkling will be fine fer the most part. She has Tracks an' Eject watching out for her, First Aid an' his... brothers below. She has no known connection directly to us, an yea were retired from Nest."

The big mech took a deep breath, wanting to believe, but knowing it was a big risk to check. He did not want to have any attention on his property. Well, his in a way, it was in his niece's name now, and had been for some time just in case...well something like this happened.

A large hand came down, not so gently, not really rough as Roadbuster rumbled and pressed the human against his leg for a moment. He stood back up and turned on the brighter lights on his chest. "When we get up, some space. I'll send a ping ta Tracks so they know we ain't slagged. Yea'r Crew, an' so is yea'r family. Wreckers take care o' ourselves."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If nothing else, Wreckers are loyal to those they see as their own. New mech is coming next chapter, care to guess?


	7. In Darkness

 

Will grunted as he was jolted awake, by way of his back rest suddenly moving to nudge his back. The man resisted the urge to speak or curse aloud, considering he had just finished his joint shift on look out. Will gripped his side arm, feeling the alien metal oddly warm in his palms. It retained his body heat far better than anything human made, the weapon was a sort of gift and had been well worth the week long headache from years ago now.

There was a soft huff of air out of a mech's venting systems from above the man. All at once, will was fully awake as he placed the sound. He tensed as the man listened intently to the dark around him, hearing the normal sounds of semi distant traffic, the soft assorted drips of water from the leaky warehouse roof. Evidence left over from the rain storm earlier that evening, though a distant roll of thunder now and then promised that the rain would come back. It was very quiet, and that made Will nervous.

The mech he had been sleeping on was awake, no longer recharging or snoring. That meant the watch after Will had woken the Wrecker up, that something was wrong or something had been spotted. It hurt, and his body protested quiet a lot internally but the man pulled himself up right, sensing more than seeing the large hand that had been beside and behind him shift and lower. A claw tipped finger caught on Will's pants leg, but froze. The man reached down, again sensing more than seeing another man to his right waking up and coming alert as he unhocked the fabric to keep from it tearing and making any sound.

The mass finished moving down now that it was free of him, Will had fallen asleep against the mech's hand pretty much just for this reason. To be woken up if something happened. Will scooted quietly, nearly soundless down the mech's front as he started to sit up as well, reaching out to brace his hand on hard metal of a hilt. The man could well imagine the sight beside him, a massive clawed hand gripping a combat knife that had a blade as long as he was tall.

It was, in a word: wicked.

There was a soft murmur from someone to Will's left, and he climbed almost blind, half by memory, half by sear luck, over the hand and down a hip. Will made sure that first his left, and then right feet were firmly down on the old concrete before holding out a hand. The other person next to him put a heavy-ish, odd object on the extended hand, waiting until Will had a grip on it. He felt over it, and smiled a bit as it was his helmet. The feel of alien metal, and slight heat retention to keep it from being stone cold smooth over the front, with slight textured back.

William Lennox put the helmet on, feeling more than hearing the locks slide into place automatically. The world shifted from that total darkness to suddenly dim blue and green shades. Will glanced around, seeing his ragged team. A few were climbing off the mech beside him as well as one man lightly hopping off the leg of the other mech across from them. He checked with the man beside him, the one who handed the helmet over.

It took only a quick conversation in modified signs. The furthest three sensors had been triggered. If it was only one or two, they could live with while watching. It would normally be some kids or a homeless person.

Three sensors in a row, that was trouble. That was something heading to them.

Time to go.

The wrecker Started to get up, making Will and the other three humans around him move out of the way. There was a low grunt from across the open floor to the other side of the warehouse. The taller mech gave a warning sound, though Topspin kept it soft.

Leadfoot froze, his visor that had started to brighten as he woke up, not shutting the glow off. He and the other Autobots did not need their optics or visors glowing to see. The older Wrecker tilted his head as he likely listed to an internal communications line. Getting an update on what was happening. Leadfoot's left hand hovered over the still sleeping, smaller form on his chest. Hesitating at first to wake either of the two existed civilians using him as a strange bed or just a leaning post. He waited until the last of the other humans, Will and his team, were all ready with the few bits of gear that was out. Now gathered and offered to the taller blue mech to subspace.

Will moved over to the normally red Wrecker (now a grey-green with his visor), crouching down near his hip and his right hand. The man reached out, firearm attached to his thigh and his own knives strapped down. One hand gripped the teen's shoulder as Will's other hand was put over the boy's mouth just in time. The youth had jumped in his spot between Leadfoot's palm and side, he must have slid off his perch

"Shh," Will leaned forward, speaking softly but reassuring, trying to think of his own daughter. This was not combat Nest member, but one of the support staff after all- and someone the Wreckers liked. "Stay quiet Raoul, time to get up. We're going."

Wide eyes stared up at him from the dark before the hand the youth was on twitched. That got Raoul to wake up the rest of the way. The older man helped him up to his feet as one of his team mates climbed up to help Leadfoot wake up the other civilian. Will kept a grip on the teen's hand and shoulder, leading him away in the dark. There was a huff behind and above, but the next sound was muffled as the solder murmured.

Will kept a hold of the teen, looking back and around to be sure they were not about to be stepped on. Leadfoot was helping the other two off him now- mostly the groggy woman who was in his right hand now. Will watched in the blue-green shades as the mech lowered his hand and the woman was taken, helped down and moved away as well.

The currently grey and green shaded mech rolled over to his left towards Will and Raoul instead of standing. No one could help the mechanical sounds as the Wrecker ducked his head and started to fold into himself. "Get the kid an' lass in, I'll take 'em."

Topspin was kneeling down after checking the far side of the warehouse, but he paused before transforming as well. Favoring to set something small and round into the ground under a slab of broken concrete he lifted up. He gave a soft chirp, the sound carrying a sarcastic edge to it only because he was Cybertronian.

"Shudda up..." Leadfoot said, as much to the other Wrecker as to the humans around him.

Raoul was not able to keep his snort in, though the teen managed to muffled it by shoving his hand into his face. He managed to smack himself, making Will flicker a smile under his visor, as the teen couldn't see, then proved he had been around the mechs too long with, "Frag..."

"Take it easy." The man murmured, leading him back to the Wrecker, putting Raoul's right hand on the edge of Leadfoot's door frame. Will caught the teen with a hold on his head to keep him from smacking it as he was guided into the tight back seat. On the other side the woman was being half led, half pushed into as well.

Will waved down one of his team mates from the other mech. Pointing to direct him and the other man near him, both to get into Leadfoot. At a grumble from the engine, Will kicked a wheel before jogging back to Topspin. It was impossible to be completely quiet about it, but he was the last to get to a mech. Leadfoot shrugged his doors closed and was leaving as the blue and grey mech was starting to transform. Keeping the doors of his own new alternate mode to let the remaining four men to get in.

Or squish in.

Will was not ashamed to claim the diver's seat as his, so to say, turning as soon as the doors closed with a muted but definite sound of locks. "What happened Jeremy?" The man asked, knowing no sound would get out of the now hidden mech.

"Another two sensors were triggered, from the east instead of the south." The man in the passenger seat said, he had a similar set up of armor and gear, only the helmet and full face visor he had had three large scraps down from the upper left side and around the back to the lower right side of over where his jaw would be. He shifted and looked back at the other two of the team, and in the eastern direction, "Along with another in the south before whoever stopped near the sensor, I don't know if they found it but I don't anyone wants to stay if we were made."

"No," Will shook his head, making a face before he looked around again and leaned back in the seat. "We haven't been able to get to more places than old warehouses or barns for the last month. At least the civilians could get into a store."

"Yea all need ta' get out o' the armor." Topspin spoke up for the first time in a few days. His voice was still low and soft to try and keep the effect on the humans minimal, it still made all four twitch. The Wrecker huffed softly, not sure what it was in the natural harmonics of his voice, but it had...interesting effects on adult humans. It has been equally amusing to use on annoying humans as it was annoying at times. Like now. "Stop that slag. An' yea need showers."

"I don't think we should break into a hotel so close." Mark said in the back passenger side, the burly man was sitting a little awkward with his riffle between his legs, the barrel resting on his shoulder away from everyone else. He was very careful to keep anything from touching the safety and trigger area. His voice had a deeper rumble than normal, and he took a few slow, deep breaths, "Are we splitting up from Leadfoot for a while or meeting back up in a mile marker on that highway?"

"Splittin'," Topspin said as he took his turn nosing out of the warehouse, having given the older wrecker a heads start. If someone was watching they would likely only see one of them, but hopefully go after him. Topspin would be happy to take the heat away from the support staff.

Not to mention take out some low simmering anger.

He, they, didn't know who was hunting them, but when four out of five known joint Autobot, Wrecker and human bases all suffered all out adults? Topspin did not trust many humans normally, it took a while of poking before he liked some of the former support staff of the Crew on any of the bases- even then he was hapy to drive off anyone annoying. Now if the human was not willing to turn and shoot who shot at his aft...the blue mech huffed, rumbling a low growl.

Topspin felt Will shift, pressing back into the seat to draw a little of his attention back after about fifteen minutes of driving to get safely on a highway, "Mm?"

"Think you can find a place where we can, well," Will started to reach up, remembered he had a helmet on, and sighed. "Stealth some cloths, and not trigger a bunch of alarms? Ideally we can break in- carefully to an old motel to get a shower in since we don't have Raoul to get a room."

Will still could not believe how often that kid could get away with doing that. As grateful as he was, the man could not help but be annoyed that people would let a scrawny,  _under aged_  teen rent a room as long as he had cash.

Topspin chuckled.

Mark snorted from the back, "I think that's a 'yes.'"

Retail security was far too lax, at least in comparison to the Wreckers. Plus, Roadbuster was not there to smack the blue mech away from heisting stores.

Topspin reached out, feeling over his bond before he spoke up again, "We find a place ta' make sure no one still followin', then make fer the bolt hole."

"To Buster?" The fourth man finally spoke up from back behind Will, sitting with his hands in his lap, one of the few not as affected by Topspin's voice. Though no one really knew why, but Ratchet had a theory.

"Aye...he hasn't moved, an' is recharging a lot." Topspin hoped to himself that meant his bonded must be safe.

It had to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not dead, just sick, but I write off and on when sick


End file.
